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The Old Welland Canal and the Man Who Made It

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The Old Welland Canal and the Man Who Made It 42 ^^GiiL uiMivt,^siTY Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from Brock University - University of Toronto Libraries http://archive.org/details/oldwellandcanalmOOthom THE OLD WELLAND CANAL AND THE MAN WHO MADE IT. BY THOS. C. KEEPER. C.M.G., LL D. (McGill) Past President Royal Society, Canada " Officer " Legion of Honour, France Past President Canadian Society Civil Engineers Past President American Society Civil Engineers Past Member of Council Institution, C . E. London FOREWORD BY Mrs. Margaret Hamilton Alden ST. CATHARINES : Tin: Print .Shop, ^i Ontario Strkkt 194534 INDEX Photograph of the Honorable Willia-n Hamlltoi M-rritt (from a painting by Wales). '^ Foreword, by Mrs. Margaret Hamilton Alden 4 '" St. Photograph of a Document showing there was a Church at antedates Catherines " in February, I7y6. (This document R-^istry Office, and is in possession the first civil record in the " of the Rector and Wardens of St. George's Church) showing the Copy of Chewitt's Survey of the Niagara District, the communities in existence in lSi2, 1813 and 18U. Njte 8 position of Shipman's later St. Catharines. the Honor- Signature of Catharine Rodman Prendergast, wife of he changed able William Hamilton Merritt, in whose honour ^ the naiiie from Shipman's to St. Catharines Canal, Photograph of the First Survey made for the Old Welland one of his in 1818, showing Shickluna's Shipyard, with Hilj, famous sailing vessels in the foreground. Above, Oak and his residence of the Honorable William Hamilton Merritt ^ descendents, since 18i6 '^' pertaining End of the Foreword, and Copies of Old Document thereto Welland Canal Photograph of the original Stock Certificate of the ^ Company Wellaid Photograph of George Keefer, First President of the Canal Company "^ the Man Who Title of IJrochure. "The Old Welland Canal and L.L.D., etc of the Made It," by Thomas Keefer Esq., C.B., , "^'^ Manor House, Kockliffe, Ottawa Ottawa, than NOTE.-The late Dr. Wilfred Campbell, of the Archives, ths U. E. Loyal- there was no greater authority on early history of whom he said a dispute, gave a very important decision when ists in settling magazines, thsiiun^i^ned, unauthenticaied ar//r/^5 published in newspapers, years after the dat; ot Uie or other forms, written twenty-five or more rate value in an events they are supposed to chronicle, are not of 'sixth value of these original historical discussion. Hence the importance and documents, some of which are here published for the first ti.ue. HON. WM. HAMILTON MERRITT Orig-inator of the Welland Canal, who made the first survey of the land, September 23th, 1818 with George Keefer, Esq., and others FOREWORD The Man and his Vision— An appreciation of the Projector of the Welland Canal and the Founder of the City of St. Catharines (By Marijarcl Hamilton Alden) [n] [HI " Without a vision***the people perish," says the Cood Book; and but for the vision of WilHam Hamilton Merritt, who first con- ceived the idea of the Welland Canal in i8t2, we should not today be nearing the centennial of its achievement. Because his foresight, faith, and untiring effort materialized that idea into a living reality, with its consequent marvellous re- " sults —is it not fitting that we should give honor where honor is due," and bless the memory of a great and good man who " served well the world " in his generation, and whose " works do follow him"? It is indeed a far cry from tliat day of herculean effort anrl untold liardship to our present—and shall we of this generation, who are reaping the benefits of his lal)()i forget the privations en- dured by those brave pioneers? The Archives in Ottawa and elsewhere contain original re- interesting cords and maps which are reproduced here : they give and authentic history of the early days in this neighborhood. By them the story is told with an authority belonging alone to original documents. A torn and weather-stained document bearing the date Feb 17th. 1796, tells of "A Church at vSt. Catherines" (spelled with an e), around which a small settlement of some fifty souls had gath- ered. From the fact that the men of the Queen's Rangers built, sup- ported and worshipped in this edifice, it is accepted that the church was called after Colonel Butler's wife. Mrs. Catherine Butler, who had been a true friend in these trying times to the officers, the men and their famiHes. This church was situated on Yates street, near the corner of St. Paul Street. It was reached by a flight of steps from the present St. Paul street, which followed an Indian trail and was part of the main thoroughfare between Fort Niagara and Fort Detroit. After the close of the Revolution Governor Simcoe issued an invita- tion to the disbanded Loyalist Soldiers to settle in the Niagara District. As the men of Butler's Rangers occupied most of the territory on the river and lake shore front, the men of the Queen's Rangers who also answered this appeal, taking up the land beyond settled as far afield as the mountain top. Thither from St. John, New Brunswick in 1796 Major Thomas Merritt followed his late comrades in arms, and with his family, consisting of his wife, a daughter, and a son, William Hamilton Merritt, aged three years, settled on the fourth concession, Grantham Township, on the twelve-mile creek. An early record bearing Major Merritt's name appears on the Niagara Church Register. In October, 1797, an infant daughter, Susan, was baptized by the Rector of St. Marks. Mcijor Merritt owned and operated the mill on the banks of the twelve-mile creek. It was while endeavouring to obtain a better supply of water for this mill that the idea originated, which ended in the project of building the Welland Canal. The mill was sold in 1869 to Messrs. Norris & Neelon, and later on became the Kinleith Paper Mill. After a residence here of almost half a century Major Merritt died in 1842, aged eighty-three years, and is buried with his wife in St. George's Churchyard. The tower of St. George's Church was erected and twelve free pews set apart in 1845 ^" memory o( Major Merrilt and his wife. The land upon which the Church is built was given by the Hon. W. H. Merritt. Major Merritt was the first sheriff of the Niagara District, which office he held for twenty years, retiring in 1823. He was Cornet in the Queen's Rangers, 1776, under Colonel Simcoe; Major- Commandant Niagara Ught Dragoons in the war of 181 2- 14, and Surveyor of Woods and Forests. He was one of General Brock's pall-bearers, and it was to him, that the American officers surren- dered their swords after the victory at Queenston Heights. The war of 181 J- 14 fell heavily upon the inhabitants of this neighborhood, the majority of whom left for safer quarters further from the seat of trouble. Paul Shipman, for whom St. Paul street is named, i)ropri- etor of the earliest known hostelry, gave his name to the settlement for a time. After the war the Honorable William Hamilton Merritt pur chased almost the entire land upon which St. Catharines now stands, entered into business there, carried on his father's mill, established a post-oftice, and re-named the new settlement St. Catharines (spelled with an a), after his wife. Previous to this " The Twelve," "The Corners," *' Huntini^toii," " Shipmans,'" etc., had i^iven recognition to the small settlement which had gathered around the early church. The following document antedates the first civic record in the Registry Office, hence its iniportance and value. Il proves that in 1796 a community was established at " St. Catherines" and a Church built there. " 1796—Appointment to the Church at St. Catherines, with their " respective sums next to their names : Feb. 17 £ s. d 17% Appointment Brought John Backhouse 12 Forward ,. £107 10 •I ohn H ayner 16 6 Feb. 17 £ s. d. Jacob Dittrick 26 10 6 Jonathan Nann 8 u Abraham Clendenen 6 1 (» George Couke 8 Benjaman Frolick. 3 (• Jacob Appen 8 Henry Smith Anthony Appen 8 Zackariah Hayner Fetter Warren 8 Richard Hayner tt George Honner 2 Albert Hayner Stephen Schurn 8 Adam Hayner. Philip Metten 10 Cornelius Follick Andrew Hanschen 10 John Decon .. Jacob Bowman on the Moun- Robert Cammel o tain 8 John Turney 6 George Keefer 10 John Brown b Michael Patton 10 William Adz _ 5 Jacob Hall, Junr 12 Obidiah Hopkins 8 George Hartsell 1 10 Fetter _ 1 Hopkins John Stevens ) Asa Watterhouse 10 Adam Watt 10 John Willson, Sons— Beav- John Dennis 8 erdam 1 John Bepey 1 Hugh Willson .._ 8 James Newkirk 8 Francis Veenen 10 Robert Bepey 8 Jabesh Bepey 1 il07 10 £121 12 l*hoto^raph of the Earliest Record of " St. Catherines. It in now in possession of the Rector and Wardens of St. Georg-e's Cliurch, St. Catharines, Ontario. p. This map is copied from the original in the archives in Ottawa. It is Chewitt's survey of the County of Lincoln, showing the state of the country in the years 1812, 1813, 1814. It was published in 1818. It shows the settlement to be registered as *'Shipmans." Signature of Catharine Prendergast Signature of Catharine Rodman Prendergast, only daughter of Dr. Prendergast, who became the wife of the Honourable William Hamilton Merritt, in 181 5. In her honour Mr. Merritt named the young settlement St. Catharines (once Shipman's), using the " a " in spell- ing as the above signature shows.
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